Appendix C2:
The HB/CTB claim form

Background

Inverclyde Council introduced a new claim form to complement the introduction of its unified HB/CTB computer system in July 1998. Both HB and CTB can be claimed on the one form. Claim forms are available from the benefits reception area and are also held by estates management officers involved in visiting duties. A claim form is issued for each new LA tenancy agreement and housing staff offer help with completion.

Findings

Layout

The new claim form is an 11-page document with clearly marked sections covering the various elements necessary for consideration of entitlement to HB/CTB. The language used is simple and direct and there are clearly defined white boxes for completion by claimants.

General advice is contained on the inside leaf of the claim together with some guidance notes for completion. However, it would be useful for the claimant to have the general advice notes on a detachable sheet for retention and future reference. The guidance notes on claim form completion could then be contained in the body of the claim form.

There is a useful warning at the bottom of the inside leaf referring to the fact that the LA may use the information provided to prevent and detect fraud and possibly share it with other organisations for the same purpose. To avoid this important notice becoming lost amongst the mass of general advice and guidance, it would be better placed next to the declaration box at the end of the claim form. It may also be useful to highlight the statement in bold type rather than capitals.

Content

Although the new HB/CTB claim form is much better than the earlier version, we consider that there is further scope for improvement as follows:

Page 1 (Section 2):	The last address is requested and this is good practice. However, claimants should also be asked for the date they moved to their current address.
Page 3 (Section 4):	There is a good clear box for ‘none’ entries that is useful as long as the Council insists on completion before determination. The last 2 entries should be altered from ‘normal home’ to ‘usual home’ and ‘address of your usual home’ respectively.
Page 4 (Section 5):	There is again a good clear box for ‘none’ entries. However, the proof of earnings entry is inappropriate. Claimants are advised they may, if they prefer, use the income certificate on page 10 rather than supply pay slips. This is a bad practice. If the LA wishes to use an income certificate, then they should send it to the employer. When it is returned, the certificate should clearly detail who is completing it and their status within the company. The income certificate on page 10 would therefore become obsolete and should be removed from the claim form. The entry for self-employed claimants is sufficient, but a sub-heading may be useful to highlight the section.
Page 5 (Section 6):	The introduction to this section advises claimants they may use either a benefit certificate as proof of benefit or provide a photocopy of their order book. While we view the benefit certificate, authenticated by BA, as good practice, photocopies of order books should, of course, not be accepted as proof. If necessary, the actual order book may be examined. A very comprehensive list of sources of income is recorded at Item 6. It may be easier for both claimants and staff if these benefits were grouped into various categories, for example benefits, pensions, others.
Page 6 (Section 7):	The introductory sentence needs some minor amendment as follows – "we also need to know about any money" (not savings) " not invested, such as savings in a current account". This section asks claimants to supply bank and building society reference numbers, which is good practice.
Page 8 (Section 9):	Claimants should be asked to supply agent details in this section if appropriate. ‘Relative’ requires a definition of some sort. At the very least it should explain that this includes a relative by marriage.
Page 9 (Sections 11, 13):	These entries are a clear violation of verification principles. If claimants are unable to produce proof of rent, a letter should be designed for issue directly to the landlord when necessary. Section 13 should be deleted, along with the reference to it in Section 11.
Page 9 (Section 12):	An explanatory note is needed to explain what is meant by ‘personal care and support’.
Page 10 (Section 14):	There is no accompanying mandate permitting the landlord and claimant to agree to direct payments and the consequences for the landlord in accepting payment direct. This could be resolved by including a detachable section or separate mandate form.
Page 10 (Section 15):	The declaration in this section is good. However, the council may wish to include "I authorise the council to obtain any information it needs to process my claim that has not been asked for on this claim form".

Conclusions

The new HB/CTB claim form introduced recently by Inverclyde Council is clearly a great improvement on the previous form. There are nevertheless some items requiring further improvement. DSS issued guidance to all LAs in 1994 entitled Guidance for Local Authorities on the Design of Claim Forms for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Although now 4 years old, this guidance would be of use to Inverclyde Council in considering the future design and content of its claim form.